CATCHING Synonyms: 407 Similar and Opposite Words

catching 1 of 2

adjective

ˈka-chiŋ

Definition of catching

as in infectious

capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another a cold is often catching before the symptoms even begin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in spreading

exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others a catching smile that instantly puts patients at ease

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catching

2 of 2

verb

present participle of catch

as in grabbing

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door

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as in getting

to become affected with (a disease or disorder) you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot

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as in stopping

to bring (something) to a standstill I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in securing

to put securely in place or in a desired position caught back her hair with a barrette

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as in knowing

to have a clear idea of I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy

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as in tricking

to cause to believe what is untrue a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story

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as in encountering

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face I'll catch you at the library tomorrow

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as in noticing

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed

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as in chasing

to move fast enough to get even with despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

falling short

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of catching

Adjective

The Braves gained four years and millions of dollars by substituting Olson for Freeman at first base – even though one of those traded was slugging catching prospect Shea Langeliers. — Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2026 The designs are eye catching and beautiful, inspired by South Florida's beaches and ocean water. — Najahe Sherman, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Every March, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month reminds us of the importance of preventing and catching cancer early. — Care Resource, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 The only big fish in my area are pike, so the object of my research suddenly switched from catching lots of fish to catching big fish. — Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for catching

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching

Adjective

The atmosphere is infectious, attracting a discerning international crowd, yacht enthusiasts, fashion aficionados, and travelers who are seeking a blend of luxury and authenticity.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026
Vibrant animation, infectious energy, and a killer soundtrack make this a future cult favorite.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026

Definition of infectious

Verb

Americans are grabbing their passports and fleeing the country in hopes of leaving the nation’s problems behind.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Swanson argues those behind-the-scenes improvements have done more to modernize logistics than many of the industry’s headline-grabbing automation projects.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 July 2026

Definition of grabbing

Verb

Farmer, who had a right forearm strain, went 2-for-20 with a home run at Columbus while getting reps at catcher.

— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
Reaching such a stage would be the third World Cup final in succession for France, after getting their hands on the trophy in 2018 and losing to Argentina last time around.

— Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of getting

Verb

The driver continued northbound in the southbound lanes of Victoria Avenue before eventually stopping at Buena High School, according to authorities.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Coastal routes support port integration by stopping at dozens of small ports, enabling year-round transport and supply chains and going well beyond tourism.

— Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of stopping

Verb

Instead of securing to the truck frame outside the pickup bed like traditional Alaskan slide-in campers, the HS 640 leaves enough space to secure to the truck bed tie-down points, delivering a cleaner look.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 July 2026
The bottlenecks are shifting from sheer computing power to securing supply of high-bandwidth memory chips that support rapid data transfer, according to the report.

— Bloomberg, Fortune, 8 July 2026

Definition of securing

Verb

Even worse was Paraguay and Australia, a pair of flawed teams playing to nil-nil in the last group match, knowing a tie sent both through to the knockout stage.

— Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Both Diaz and Rodriguez expressed mixed feelings at the order to leave, knowing there was the possibility of other victims who could be saved.

— Ella Moore July 9, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of knowing

Verb

These fraudulent sites often mimic legitimate stores or rank high in search results, tricking desperate consumers into buying non-existent AC units.

— Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
The schemes involve a predator pretending to be a teenager online and tricking victims into sending illicit photos of themselves.

— Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 17 June 2026

Definition of tricking

Verb

Here, Amer plays a fictional version of himself, a Palestinian refugee who is trying to get legal status while encountering personal and professional roadblocks at every turn.

— Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Conditions can shift rapidly, even in summer, with climbers encountering ice, rockfall and limited visibility within hours.

— James Ward, USA Today, 2 July 2026